Starting Chemo June 2017
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Peachy - yeah!!! You feel better now.
HapB - you go girl!
Pink - feel the same way, Infusion this Friday !
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Peachy - so glad you are feeling better! Sorry you have been going through such a rough stage
I agree with everyone about wanting to get through our summer of chemo! Today is my 9th day post-chemo and I feel like it might just be moving out of my system. It was so wonderful to NOT go in to the infusion room this past Monday after finishing my 12 weekly taxols since June 5. It felt like I was finally breaking out of the cycle (chemo > steroid jitters > crash > fatigue days > repeat).
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Well, woke up this morning without a fever. Hallelujah! First time in a long time. Went in for lab work and to see the Nurse and Oncologist who gave me the go ahead for infusion. Had DD Taxol #2. It's in the books. 2 more to go. Still no sign of fever. Yay. I think the Benadryl counters the steroids. I'm not super tired and I'm not super jacked up. I did ice feet and hands. It is a bit of bummer not to have use of my hands but whatayagonnado? Wore my Rosie the Riveter socks.
I don't remember the last time I wore my wig. Aug 8th I think! The last day I went to the office. I took some time off after that and then had treatment and then the fever thing happened so didn't go in last week or this week. I wear nothing on my head around the house and throw one of those bamboo sleeping caps on if I feel cool. When going out, I wear a scarf turban. I don't even think twice about it. I have a favorite and actually feel good in it. My mom gave me a baseball hat with a ponytail. I wear that when I walk around the neighborhood. I'm amazed at how hot my head can get. Sometimes my pillow feels like it was in the oven.
Wishing all a good night!
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Peachy - high five!!! I hope I can have my infusion tomorrow!!!
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Glad you are feeling better Peachy! I agree about the wig. I haven't touched mine - it seems like too much of an ordeal. Little beanies are what I wear 90% of the time.
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Peachy, so glad you are feeling better and halfway through your Taxols. Way to go. You have inspired me on the scarfs. Here I am in my new Ultimate Shaper and Signature Scarf from Wrapunzel.
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Hap B check out this video. Because I have a big head I chose the second shaper in the video. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KI8uAsGaYK8
You might do as well with the first one. Shapers give the illusion of hair and include a velvet edge that keeps the scarf in place.
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Julia - It looks great! That's the same shaper I use all the time. I also use a velvet headband on occasion, but I don't like it as much. One of the counselors at my school asked me if I have a whole closet full of scarves. I said, "pretty much, yes." I'll try to get a photo of myself with my head all wrapped up sometime
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MsLin, yes now I remember it was you who posted about it. My chemo brain couldn't recall that. Thanks for the tip. I bought another scarf yesterday. Too much fun. I think I will use them on bad hair days even when I have hair again.
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Taxol #5 is officially done..I am finally over the hump in my infusions with 16 total. I have had 4 AC and 5 out 12 taxol for 9 total. Two ER trips, a stomach bug, and a nasty head/chest cold but I am still here..life sure is filled with all sorts of twists and turns and uncertainty but I am learning to try and just go with the flow and hang in there..good luck to everyone who had treatment today for hopefully not so many side effects.
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Peachy, YAY! So glad you are on the mend! Glad you took the necessary time off to get well.
Julia, You look great in your scarf turban. I need to consider that. I will look at the link.
**Just finised Taxol #4/12 today. They reduced my Benadryl to 12.5mg, since I had crazy legs last week at 25. They were still restless but better. I only feel a little tired, but I was a little tired this morning.
Y'all have a great Labor Day weekend. My plan is to relax. We have our church picnic on Sunday, but other than that, I plan on vegging a bit.
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Congratulations hhuey!
Have a peaceful holiday weekend everyone!
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Wonderful news Hhuey. Have a great weekend everyone.
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Julia...I love the look!! The woman in the video is pretty talented at multiple scarf wrapping looks. I never knew this world existed.
Congrats to KimPossible and hhuey on checking off another Taxol. Keep on keeping on.
2nd day fever free and it feels great! Got my Neulasta shot today. The last one. Yay. So far no side effects from theTaxol yesterday. Fingers crossed that continues.
Have a wonderful weekend all!
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Yes, Peachy, it is indeed a new world. I think many of the women wrap for religious reasons but I like the look. There are so many variations to try. And I find them very comfortable. Yea for your last Neulasta shot. I certainly was glad to have my last one a week ago. No big plan for DH and me this weekend just a lot of little projects we can work on. Happy Laboar Day everyone.
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Way to go everyone!
Julia, love the scarf.
I took my wig back a month ago. When they asked me if I wanted to look at anything else, I hesitated for a moment, then said, no.
It's already cooled off here and baseball hats are too cool. I'm back to wearing the buff but finding it difficult right now with my glasses. The smoke from the BC forest fires is rolling in constantly. The air quality has been 9 out of 10 for the past two days. Nose is running and eyes watering so bad tears are streaming down my face all day means taking the glasses on and off multiple times.
We were suppose to go to brother in laws for bbq tomorrow but sister in law called to say she has shingles. Not taking any chances and staying away for now.
This has been a crappy summer with cancer treatments, people getting sick and smoke so bad I can't sit outside. Better this summer be crappy then to have been a beautiful summer and not been able to enjoy it.
Have a great weekend.
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I know how bad that smoke can be, Pink, Have relatives in Montana and other western US states. One nephew has even been a smokejumper. Hope fall will arrive soon with some cooling rains. It doesn't seem fair when you are dealing with so much else but we know that life is not fair.
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Ok I caught up on all of you but chemo brain won't let me remember who posted what. So I'm going to try to get it right! Peachy.... I'm glad your fever subsided and how frustrating not knowing exactly what caused it. Hopefully things are back on track. Julia....the pic of the head wrap looks awesome. I don't think I could ever pull that look off. Hap..I laughed at your punk statement! Kudos to you!
If some of you remember when I started losing my hair I thought I was having a meltdown. I thought there was no way I would ever go out in public with my bald head. I bought 3 wigs, hats, you name it! But honestly I'm the most comfortable bald. I wear my surgery cap at work but it's part of the uniform and patients don't know the difference. I take it off my head as soon as I punch off the clock, get in my car and don't care who sees this bald head! Wigs are uncomfortable and the hair actually bothers me if it gets on my face. Hats are hot and i was never much of a hat person. Yesterday I stopped for gas and totally forgot I was standing in public bald until I saw the reflection of myself in my car window. It gave me a chuckle. I've come a long way!
AC #4 completed one week ago. And it wasn't that bad. I worked a half day on monday due to fatigue but I did it. I hope the worst is behind me. I've only missed one day of work during all this chemo so far. On September 15 I start weekly Taxol for 12 weeks. No more neulasta! Woot woot! My MO said as soon as I start having any neuropathy he wants notified and possibly stop the Taxol. His explanation was Taxol was an a accumulative drug and once nueropathy starts there is no reversing it. He said chemo in my case since I had the lumpectomy and removed the cancer, it's a preventive measure for reccurence. He wouldnt want me to be crippled/no use of hands or feet for a possibility of cancer coming back.
My car that was in the tree accident was officially pronounced dead by the insurance company on monday. Therefore I went out and bought a new 2018 Jeep! Jeanne...no I wasn't a girl scout but I was desperate to stay dry! Didn't work, I was soaked!
I hope all of you are side effect free and trying to get back to normal! I'm spending this holiday weekend camping. We have a RV that sleeps about 10. My husband, my 3 dogs, My son, his wife and 3 kids are spending quality time together!
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Pink - I just finished my AC yesterday will do my 12 weeks of taxol also. I'm so worry about nueropathy because I want to go back to play piano again. I planned to ice my hands with couple bags of frozen peas during the taxol drug. I hope it helps.
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Hap I always wanted one and when I got the cancer diagnosis I said when all is done it will be my reward! But since this tree fell it came sooner! It just proves you have to live life now and not wait because you never know what the future holds.
Last week I had a patient, he is 46 and the only symptom he was having was he lost his appetite and when he did eat he got full fast. So after some scans they noticed something and ordered a colonoscopy. Results are he has liver cancer and it has spread through his abdominal cavity and colon. He probably won't make it til the end of the year. He's married with 2 kids under the age of 5. My take away is life is not guaranteed and yea I got screwed with breast cancer but someone always has it worse. Look for the rainbows and if you don't have God in your life please please find him!
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Good morning everyone. I apologize for being quiet as well. I've been reading, but seldom responding. We started school this week and between trainings and prepping for classes I've been exhausted. Good news is that the start of school went well and I'm excited for my classes this year.
I'm headed out the door in a little bit for my last DD Taxol! Today is the last day of my chemo journey. I can't wait to walk out of there today. There's no bell at my cancer center, but I have other plans. We decided to do an end of chemo party tomorrow. We've invited tons of people and tons have RSVP'd. A few people are worried I won't be up for it. I figured that I'll still be on the steroid high and if not, I'll park myself in a chair and people can come to me. I do love a good party.
The only sour note about the party is that last night my best friend was admitted to the ICU. She had abdominal pain and fluid had built up in her abdomen. They drained 800 ml of fluid and did an ultrasound. They aren't quite sure what is wrong with her. Test results should come in this morning. My worst fear is some kind of cancer. The pain came on suddenly, but she'd been battling a bronchial issue for months. Like Susie's patient she's 48 with a daughter the same age as my son. The two kids are like brother and sister.
While ending chemo today should be very exciting for me it is bittersweet because I would much rather be with my friend. I have to settle for text between the husbands for information.
On a more positive note, I wish all of you the best this holiday weekend. Enjoy the sun if it is out. Hug your loved ones
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I wish I had a onco that cared about neuropathy! I had 5/6 THCP a week ago Friday and I went back to the dr crying about my feet pain on Tuesday, like they are in ice water! I can't feel 3/4 of my left foot. I just wanted them to stop at #5 if possible. His response was I'll give you 2 prescriptions. OxyContin for the pain and a Cymbalta. I asked if the Cymbalta did anything for tne neuropathy or simply made me not care about the neuropathy. His response was its supposd to help with it. Then I read the side effects and that it should never be given to someone with high BP, which I have, so there's no way I'm taking either. I'm just having to do self help measures, but thinking I'll never run a 5 k or even walk one again,with this. My husband has had this for years and he seems to live with it but it's killing me knowing that these side effects are awful and can be permanent. Just months of diarrhea alone have scarred me ( I'm doing better stopping that one now). I just have to not think about it I guess. I'm trying to go back to some work next week( sub teacher), I picked up an easy job from a librarian who has had chemo and knows what it's about do she's really helpful. Now to just find a way around this fatigue. I'm a go getter and it drives me nuts to feel like my legs are 500 lbs each. I keep feeling if I'd just get up and move it will help but In due time.
Hope everyone is enjoying their holiday weekend
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Have a wonderful party, MsLin. I am sorry but I can't reply individually to everyone. Reading everything though. Still busy with my parents.I am reading a good book, After Breast Cancer;A Common-Sense Guide to Life After Treatment by Hester Hill Schnipper. She is a social worker married to an oncologist. She worked with breast cancer patients and then became one herself - twice.
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MsLin, CONGRATS! I hope the party was great fun, and I hope all will be well with your friend. Life is a gift for sure, as is good health. I haven't seen a bell at my cancer center either. I will have to plan on those party horns that roll out of something...lol
Susie, You have amazed me with your working. May Taxol be easy on you. I find it overall easier, but more fatigue comes. I was on the couch all day yesterday. Hot flashes were CRAZY! Just when I thought the Effexor was working. I slept very well last night, and I feel much better today. It seems Mondays are not Fun Days, post my Friday Taxol. It could be worse for sure! Yeah for getting that spanking new Jeep! Enjoy! Hope camping was fun, too. (I cannot imagine not having God in my life through this. It would simply be too much.)
LTWJ, I am sorry about your feet pain. I know neuropathy can be a serious side effect. I pray this will abate quickly for you. I have noticed some bruising under three fingernails. I keep them cut short and have been using the OPI nail strengthener, but I have not been icing. Interesting that my toenails are doing fine.
Julia, Good book tip. Hope you are resting yourself with your caregiving.
HapB, You are thrice a survivor! No more C, ok? This is IT for you. You've had enough. Hugs!!!
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Hi everybody, I agree with everything Kim said. My husband and I are taking my parents and heading to Atlanta to stay with relatives and avoid hurricane Irma. Hope to be online some but not everyday probably. Stay well everybody!
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Just wanted to check in and say hi. I've been lurking a lot but not posting - I'm finished with AC and did Taxol #3 of 12 yesterday. Got myself into a bit of a funk last week - even though I've come so far, there's so much more to do - 2 months more chemo, a BMX, expanders, radiation, additional surgery for implants, hormonal therapy.... Usually I can keep a positive attitude but it hit me pretty hard last week. Plus neoadjuvant chemo can screw with your mind sometimes - here I am, 4 months after finding this huge lump in my breast, and it's still in my body! Smaller, to be sure, but still here. And who knows what's in my lymph nodes. I started feeling a little better during yesterday's treatment, though - it was a reminder that slowly but surely I am killing this cancer. It will not win. One day at a time is all I can do!
Also wanted to congratulate Ms Lin on finishing chemo!!! The DD Taxol sounded terrible - but at least you have all that behind you now. So, so happy for you - enjoy that party, you earned it!!
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Curly, You are not alone. It's a difficult journey at times. But you WILL win. We all will. Just stay focused on getting through the next thing. Just 8 more Taxols here (then...). But, I have 8 chemos behind me, so I feel like I have climbed the chemo mountain and am heading back down. One day at a time is the way to approach this for sure!
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Hang in there Curly! It IS a slog. We are all here with you.
I hit a low point in late July and had a couple weeks in a funk. I posted in this group about it; turns out many of our fellow June-starters were also feeling down. It's a normal part of the process I think. I hope your spirits feel better tomorrow!
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Curly - we know how you feel because we are here with you, I have my bad days, In fact today is my bad day, but I know tomorrow will be a better day for me because it is day 7! Should be better !
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Thanks y'all! Good days and bad days, appreciate having you here for encouragement. We got this.
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